Law and Security Administration - Confederation CollegeSecurity Education in CanadaCrime and Fire Programs -- Community College Programs
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Law and Security Administration - Confederation College Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology's 1-year, 3-semester Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training certificate is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and training to pursue a career or career advancement in Firefighting. The Program, though not necessarily it's method of delivery, is endorsed by the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) and the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) Endorsement Review Board, and may be taken on a part-time basis. The Program provides participants with 'the requisite knowledge and skills for commencing a recruit program with a mix of vocational courses in fire fighting, generic skilled based courses for enhancing job performance as a Firefighter and the required courses in general education.' Learners will be given 'the opportunity of consolidating and applying theory through lab and field placements with regional Fire Services Detachments.' Students should be aware that the Program will provide students with the competencies required to pursue a career in Firefighting. Most positions in this profession, however, will require graduates to possess criteria beyond that provided by the Program as determined by the employer. In most cases, graduates will have to meet the physical fitness and psychological (such as having no fear of heights or confined spaces) requirements to meet the physical and mental demands of Firefighting and related tasks, have 'normal unaided hearing at frequencies of 500 to 400 Hz measured by audiometer,' and have uncorrected vision acuity of at least 'at least 6/12 (20/40) binocularly (both eyes),' corrected vision acuity of 'at least 6/6 (20/20) binocularly,' and 'no marked degree of colour blindness.' Regarding eyevision, many employers may have 'additional minimum requirements regarding refractive surgery farsightedness (hyperopia), colour vision, depth perception and peripheral vision.' Most employers will also require employees to have current, valid certification in CPR and First Aid, and perhaps a driver's license, particularly a DZ class license. Furthermore, because of the nature of the work, an individual with a criminal record may find it difficult to obtain employment in the industry as many employers are reluctant to hiring those who possess a criminal history. Prospective students who do have criminal history should consult with a College or Program advisor before applying. Career-wise, graduates will have acquired the qualifications that will allow them to be candidates for various professional, full time or part-time employment or volunteer positions in Firefighting, and related areas like fire prevention and education and fire inspection, in Ontario and throughout Canada. The Program's graduates have a had a high degree of success in finding employment as firefighters; 100 percent of the graduating class of 2005, for example, 'found employment within 6 months of graduation' and has an average starting wage of $44,509. Firefighters may work in a wide range of environments like airports, forests and parks, hazardous materials units, fire departments, hospitals, nuclear plants, and other industrial, rural, urban, and suburban areas. The environment in which firefighters work will often determine the exact duties they will perform, and some firefighters may develop specialization in an area of Firefighting. For example, those working in forest land tend to focus on fire prevention by, among other ways, surveying the land for fire hazards and fires and quickly organizing responses to the latter when they do occur to limit their spread and damage. Through further training, firefighters may become fire investigators who attempt to reconstruct the origin and cause(s) of a fire. Investigators will usually collect evidence and witness accounts which they then use to produce reports about said fire; in cases where the law may become involved, investigators may be called to testify in court. Firefighting can be a strenuous and physically and mentally demanding career. Firefighters tend to work long and varied hours, and may be called upon to respond to emergencies at anytime during a 24-hour period, including on holidays. Moreover, Firefighting is a dangerous profession with risks for death and/or injuries and/or health problems from things like flames, falling objects, hazardous materials, and imploding structures. When firefighters are not combating fires or attending to other emergency situations directly, they are often at fire stations waiting to be called to duty or performing drills, among other things, or they may be actively engaged in promoting fire prevention. To be eligible for admission to the Program, applicants must have 'an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent,' or be '19-years of age or older,' and apply via "mature student status." All applicants must have successfully completed 'Grade 12 compulsory English, C or U, or equivalent, OR Conestoga College Preparatory Communications (COMM1270); Grade 11 or 12 Mathematics, C or U, OR Conestoga College Preparatory Mathematics for Applied Arts and Community Services (MATH1405),' and one 'Science; Grade 11 or 12 Physics, Chemistry, or Biology , C or U or Grade 12 Exercise Science (PSE4U) or Grade 11 Science (SNC3M) or equivalent, OR Conestoga College Preparatory Physics (SCIE1020), Chemistry (SCIE1030)or Biology (SCIE1010).' Applicants 'with significant life and work experience may apply for credits' under Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). Individuals intending to apply for PLAR are advised to attend a free Orientation Workshop; further information about PLAR and the Workshop is available from the Information Centre, which can be contacted by phone at 519-748-5220 ext. 3656. Furthermore, all applicants must provide documentation of having certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support (Level ôCö) CPR and Standard First Aid, must undergo a Criminal Records check with no findings of guilt, and must 'meet the immunization standard approved by the local health care system.' Although not required for admission, students are advised to 'acquire and maintain an advanced level of physical fitness including cardiovascular and upper body strength, prior to the start of the program' as not only is physical fitness required for a career in Firefighting but 'to successfully complete the 3rd semester, a fitness certificate must be obtained from an approved certified testing facility.' Applicants whose primary language of instruction has not been English will need to demonstrate that they possess a level of English sufficient for college studies and the Firefighting profession. Such applicants will thus be required to write a standardized English proficiency test such as the CAEL, IELTS, or TOEFL.
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